A Moment
by C7
Summary: A one shot. Elena and Stefan share a moment after the events of "Our Town".


I don't own any of the characters in this story. No infringement is intended.

This is a very short scene that came to me after watching "Our Town". Warning – I wrote this in a few hours, so it's VERY rough. Also, it hasn't been betaed, so read at your own risk.

A Moment

By

C7

Elena yawned as she knocked on the door to the Salvatore mansion. It had to be 5:30 by now. She was going to be late.

_Alaric's not gonna be happy._

Showing up for training this morning without some of her equipment wouldn't put a smile on his face either. She'd left her stake-wielding arm band here after her last session with Damon.

Damon.

Elena's brow furrowed, a frown tightening her mouth. _Maybe I should forget about the weapons training and just keep hitting the bag._

For all the good it did her. No matter how hard she punched and kicked the damn thing, the confused frustration refused to leave her alone. Damon had kissed her, and she hadn't pushed him away. She'd allowed it. She'd…welcomed it?

_No. I don't know. _

"I'm not doin' this now." She whispered as she shook her head against the unwanted musings. She had a lesson to get to. She was late enough already.

Raising her hand to knock again, she paused when she recalled that Damon had mentioned he would be making a trip to one of the nearby blood banks this morning to replenish his dwindling supply.

Her hand fell to the knob. Pushing the door open, she stepped into the foyer. A single lamp on the sideboard glowed, breaking up the early morning darkness. They'd last trained in the library, so she pointed herself in that direction.

Reaching for the switch, she turned on the light and began to walk the room, scanning for the missing weapon. She stopped by the couch and pursed her lips. Nothing.

She sighed. _Maybe the great room?_

Elena searched the expansive room with no luck.

_His bedroom?_

Why he would take it there, she had no idea, but he wasn't here, so why not?

Making her way up the stairs, she started down the hall. She would have to pass Stefan's room to get to Damon's, but…as she approached the achingly familiar bedroom, her legs suddenly lost their ability to function, and she stopped dead. Mindlessly, Elena lifted a hand to cover her mouth, her heart fluttering in her chest as an eerie warmth spread through her, recognition flashing through her brain.

_He's here. Oh God._

Why the simple fact came as such a surprise, she couldn't fathom. After all, she knew he had been staying here since his return to Mystic Falls. However, for some unintelligible reason, she hadn't considered the possibility of his being here when she knocked on the door a few minutes earlier.

_Stupid. _

Self-incrimination faded as a staggering wonder took its place, Elena's hand dropping back to her side. Her gaze drifted to the floor. The intricate carpet patterns swam before her eyes as she pondered her ability. She hadn't heard him. She hadn't seen him. But...she could somehow…_feel_ him.

Elena closed her eyes against the powerful sensation. How? Why now? Even when their relationship was at its strongest, and they could hardly bear to be out of one another's sight, she'd never experienced this keen awareness, the warmth something akin to a familiar, almost soothing, touch. Maybe their time apart had heightened her perception. But with the at best prickly and at worst devastating encounters they'd shared over the last couple of months the gentle recognition made no sense. Maybe she was simply losing her mind.

_Okay. This was a mistake. I shouldn't have come._

A sudden panic wormed its way into Elena's mind.

_Turn around. Leave. Now. Right this minute. _

But even as the unsettled determination pulled her away from the being in the next room, a curious longing lured her toward him.

Raising her attention back to the open doorway, she took a hesitant step forward, her heart continuing to be a steady drumbeat in her ears. Slowly, she moved into the room. She really had no idea what she expected to see when she entered. Perhaps Stefan perched at his desk, a stone mask hardening his beautiful features, disdain glowing in his emerald eyes?

Elena's jaw tightened. After what he had done to her at the bridge, she shouldn't want to see him or be anywhere near him. He'd been unbearably cruel, his actions indefensible and unforgivable. Yet here she was. Helplessly drawn to him. Willing to suffer the disdain and court the anger. Ready to forgive?

_Stefan._ His name echoed in her head, a soft prayer, a gentle hope.

An unexpected realization slowed Elena's heart and loosened the tension in her jaw. After everything he'd done, she didn't hate him. She _couldn't_ hate him, although that was precisely what he wanted her to do. As painful as their conversation at the bridge had been, she'd been able to see through his harsh words and guess the alarming reason behind them. He hadn't lost her. She was here. Right here.

A subtle movement on the bed brought Elena's attention back to the present. A few more steps had her standing about a foot or so from Stefan's bed, his powerful form stretched out on the side closest to her. For a second, she marveled at her ability to get this far into the house, let alone into his room, without awakening him.

She studied his precious face, his handsome features boyish in the forgiving reprieve of sleep. Her heart resumed its elevated tempo as she relished his softened expression. The darkness was absent. There was no pain, no anger, and the usual condescending cruelty was nowhere to be seen. A gentle smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as her gaze moved lower.

Hard muscle under smooth flesh. Elena's mouth went dry as she gazed on the magnificent beauty that was Stefan Salvatore. His powerful chest rose and fell steadily with each breath, and she was momentarily mesmerized by the simple action before her attention traveled down to his slim, tight waist and then slid across what she knew to be strong, well-muscled legs, now hidden beneath a pair of gray sweat pants. She worked her gaze back up his core before taking in the splendor of his arms. A heated shiver skirted down her spine as she recalled their gentle, loving strength.

Taking a couple of steps closer, Elena unconsciously bit her lower lip, her sights returning to his face. Helpless, she remembered the hours of pleasure she'd experienced in this bed, the love they had shared. The boundless joy as Stefan's tender strength moved above her, skillfully pushing her to the brink, sending her over the edge of rapture. Breathes taken together. Hearts beating as one.

Another step nearer. Spellbound by a fascinating desire she had no hope of resisting, Elena lifted a hand and reached out, the fervent need to touch his face pushing her forward. But just as her fingers hovered over his cheek, her wrist was suddenly gripped by an unnaturally strong hand.

With a startled gasp, she jumped at the unexpected contact, her wide gaze colliding with the brilliant green stare of the vampire holding her captive. Stefan appeared just as surprised to find her standing over him as she was of him catching her there.

"Elena?" Without releasing her, he raised himself into a sitting position on the side of the bed, his attention centered on her face. "What the hell? What are you doing here?"

"I…I came…I came to get something I'd left here." Elena tried to pull away, but he refused to let her go. Her heartbeat shifted into overdrive and an annoying woodpecker took up residence in her stomach as she silently cursed her stupidity.

"You had to come at…" He looked over at the bed-side clock. "At 5:45 in the morning?" His voice brimmed with irritation.

"I'm training with Alaric this morning. I needed it." Elena's composure started to return as her own irritation began to rise. Looking down at her wrist, she did her best to avoid gawking at his naked chest and concentrate on the anger. She had a sinking feeling it would be the only thing to save her from the unwelcome desire that once again began to make itself known, his cool touch playing havoc with her shaky poise. "Let me go, Stefan."

With his fingers still wrapped around her arm, she looked into his face. He concentrated on where he held her, a faint frown pulling at his lips.

"Please?" The single word sounded unsteady to her ears, a shard of panic slicing through her as she became more aware of the fact that she really didn't want him to let her go.

Her quiet plea garnered his attention, and he raised his head. Their eyes collided, and for a few seconds, Elena forgot to breath. A dull ache radiated from her heart as she witnessed the overwhelming sorrow staring back at her. Her throat tightened as tears beckoned. He was in so much pain. _So_ much pain. She would do anything to take it away. But as she continued to look into his haunted eyes, she wondered if he would let her. If he would ever let her comfort him again, ever let her close again. The tears pulled at her harder as she considered his likely rejection.

"Stefan, I…" Elena found her faltering voice when the need to console him became too much for her to bear.

"You better go, Elena." The familiar granite mask fell back into place as he abruptly dropped her wrist and stood, walking over to the deck, putting several feet between them.

"But Stefan…" She followed him, determined to make him listen to her.

"Go, Elena!" The harsh timbre of Stefan's voice echoed through the room as he turned his back to her, shaking his head. "Just go."

Blinking, she swallowed hard against the pain and sadness squeezing her heart, shadowing her soul. As she feared, he fiercely pushed her away, refusing to allow her the luxury of comforting him. And he needed comforting. So desperately.

Silent tears ran down her face when she turned to leave. But as Elena made her way down the hall, she stopped crying, an awareness all at once hitting her. A subtle smile curved her mouth and she wiped the water from her cheeks, the significance of what she'd witnessed solidifying in her mind. She would forever cherish the moment when she looked into Stefan's eyes and got a glimpse into his heart, his soul. When she was once again able to see the Stefan she'd fallen in love with. The moment when she knew there was hope of reaching him. The moment when she confirmed that there were indeed feelings lurking behind the stony façade. She thought she might have seen them on the bridge, but now she was sure. Stefan was still in there, lost in all the rage and hate. The fight that lay ahead of her was going to be an exhausting one, she knew. But this was the moment she became confident she could win it.

The End


End file.
